Serendipity
by muninnfanworks
Summary: Snippet 5/7 in the 'Let the Light In' Series. Nar Shaddaa was a wonderful place to get lost. There was no greater scum-hole in all the galaxy, but the constant noise of all the souls made it the perfect place for a Force user to hide their presence.- [FIXED-For some reason Conviction's body text was here. Now it's back to normal]


_**Serendipity**_

Nar Shaddaa was a wonderful place to get lost. There was no greater scum-hole in all the galaxy, but the constant noise of all the souls made it the perfect place for a Force user to hide their presence. Not the most decent place for a refuelling-stop, but Rey had to take what she could get, and she guessed the benefit of anonymity was well worth dealing with the backstabbing shuttas and the Hutt who ran the place.

"'Fuelin's done girl!" the Toydarian dock-master appeared in front of her, impatiently floating back and forth for the rest of his pay. Rey thumbed out the credits, and the Toydarian moved on to the next dock without so much as a thanks. Rey sighed and walked back into her ship. She cringed at the way it echoed with only her footfalls. Anonymity and detachment was all good and well for a lone Jedi, but Rey needed company. She had been alone for so long, it had been like a drug to experience kinship, and here she was running solo missions.

Rey stopped in front of the engine bay, wrinkling her nose at the fumes, and sighed again. There was also, of course, the issue of her damaged hyperdrive. Rey was confident she could get it fixed, it would just take slightly longer than she would've liked without Chewie there to help her. It irritated Rey to no end that she had to go certain missions alone. She had no idea how Ben dealt with existing on his own for so long.

Oh no, Rey caught herself, _none_ of that! She pushed the thought of the Knight of Ren out of her mind before it could go any further. Rey used the Force to call her toolkit and a crate of parts towards her, pulled her boots and gloves off, then started working on the slightly fried 'drive. Methodical, if not slightly boring work.

Huh, Rey thought, much like meditation. A smile curled her lips when the memory rose in her mind of Luke using the Force to lightly thwack her over the head when her focus drifted during meditation. Much like Ben had been, according to Luke. Rey shook her head and took to working on the parts again, albeit slightly more aggressively.

But she just couldn't help herself.

It had been a month since Ben had orchestrated her escape via stowing away on a supplies transport. A month since he had practically crushed her to his chest and promised her he would 'figure something out'. A month since he had kissed her goodbye, and she had not seen, heard, or felt anything from him since. Their bond was still there, but it was silent, and for good reason. It would be an understatement to say Rey was scared. Sure, Rey had taught Ben as best she could how to shield and hide himself from Snoke's darkness, but if Snoke had found him out-

Her hydrospanner snapped in her hands. She called another from the box, hurling the pieces of the broken one across the compartment, and she flinched as they ricocheted with ear-splitting crashes on the metal. Rey took a moment to steady her shaking hands before getting to work again, but there was no focus to be found.

Twist twist, snap. There went a bolt. Twist, snap. Another spanner. Rey couldn't get Ben Solo out of her damned mind. With a scream she sent the bolts and scrap flying, and slumped against the bulkhead behind her with her head on her knees as all the parts bounced to a rest. Her ears were ringing, and her mind was abuzz. Luke would tell her to be calm. At this point in time, Rey felt like she would tell Luke exactly where to shove it. Another wave of emotion hit her hard and she dug her nails into her legs as the parts rose and slammed down in different places again. She hated this lack of control that seemed to crop up. It reminded her of how much of a neophyte she actually was.

"Now what did the poor ship ever do to you to warrant such wrath?" a deep, familiar voice rumbled through the compartment.

Rey stiffened, not daring to look up. How had she not felt someone board?

"Rey." The voice sounded like home. "Rey, look at me."

She looked up on reflex, unable to resist. Flight boots, standard First Order fatigues, leather jacket, and a smirking face; the owner was leaning against the entryway frame utterly nonchalantly. He looked like he had seen better days. Rey felt her chest tighten at the sight, but she had not yet outgrown her old habit of cheek.

She narrowed her eyes at him, "About time, Solo." Rey had meant it to be acerbic. Her voice betrayed her when it cracked.

He chuckled, a sound that she had come to cherish, and pushed himself off the frame, taking purposeful steps towards her. Rey scrambled up from her spot on the floor, and he pulled her the rest of the ways upright, into his arms. Rey buried her face into his neck, worming her arms over his shoulders and pulling him to her as tightly as her slight frame could manage.

She didn't miss his flinch, and quickly looked up at him in confusion. Ben's smirk turned into a grimace.

"Snoke got a hold of me for 'allowing you to leave'." he shrugged, "There are just a few pesky bruises left."

Rey felt herself chill, and knew she must have worn quite the expression when Ben's eyes widened and he quickly shook his head, pulling her flush against him again.

"I'm fine, Rey. He doesn't know anything further. He only punished me for your escape and honestly," he gently kissed her forehead before resting his cheek on top of her head, tucking her in, "it was worth it. He doesn't suspect a thing." Ben rubbed her back, obviously sensing he wouldn't be able to fully convince her.

Rey was having none of it.

She pulled herself away from him and crossed her arms, putting on as much of an accusing glare as she could, but Rey was certain she just came off as worried. "You're _sure,_ Ben? You're sure he doesn't know?"

Ben leant back against the workbench, nodding. "Trust me, Rey. If Snoke felt like I was betraying him, he would kill me without hesitation and find a new apprentice." He swallowed heavily, running a hand through his hair, "Look, I can't stay long just yet. The only reason I'm here is because I couldn't take not _knowing_ anymore."

Rey leaned back to look at him quizzically, her hands now resting on her hips. "Just yet? Meaning?"

His tiny smirk was back in place, "Meaning I think I may have found a good way out."

Rey's jaw dropped, "Out? You mean out of the First Order?"

He nodded again, "That's why I'm so certain Snoke doesn't know. If he knew I was trying to leave, I'd be dead already. I would just be too much of a liability to him-"

The rest of what Ben was saying didn't quite spell out in Rey's mind. In fact, there was nothing of consequence at all happing in Rey's mind after that news.

"Ben-" Rey was at a loss for words. She had been cautiously hopeful before, but never truly expected this to happen. She never thought that the Force would allow anything even close to that good, as it had not exactly been kind to her in the past.

He was still waiting for her to speak, but his smile was growing as she gaped inaudibly.

"H- _How?_ "

Ben rubbed the back of his neck, "At the moment? Several ways. But I want to see if I can manage one that will aid the Resistance in the process, which is why I can't stay long here."

Rey frowned in confusion.

"I'm en-route to meet Snoke in person, by his order-"

"And you're hoping that some information you find or thing you see will be able to help the Resistance?" Rey couldn't keep the anger out of her voice, "Ben, _no._ Please, no. In that proximity he'll surely sense your lies-" She was becoming panicked again, and she knew it, "-Ben he'll kill you! He'll-"

Rey gasped as Ben yanked her against his chest again, effectively cutting off her sentence. He softly pressed a kiss to her temple and then her cheek.

"Ben." Rey was torn. She knew full well her was trying to distract her, and part of her wanted to let him.

Then he kissed her lips, ever so lightly suckling on her lower one, and she could not bite back the moan that rose up at the contact.

He leant back ever so slightly, resting his brow on hers, "Rey, I'll be fine."

"You say that," she couldn't manage anything above a whisper, "I don't believe you."

Be sighed in response, tightening his arms around her.

"Either way," he said, regret coloured his tone, "I need to go. I don't know when Snoke will prompt me next-"

"Ben-" Rey was virtually begging him now, gripping the collar of his jacket.

"And if you keep saying my name like _that_ -" His voice was strained, barely above a growl, "Then you'll make me do something that would be _really_ -"

Rey pushed herself up those extra centimetres and caught his lips with hers again, moving one hand up to grip the back of his head and tangle in his hair.

Ben seemed to forget the urgency of what he was going to say, kissing her back with a fervour, one hand on her back, pressing her into him, and the other had moved to cup her face.

She pulled back a little and smirked as he followed her, nipping her lip.

"Really what, Ben?" Rey breathed, pinning him with a look. His eyes were hungry, and heavy-lidded with want.

Ben simply groaned, dragging her in again and attacking her mouth with his. He kissed his way across her jaw and down to beneath her ear, chuckling as she gasped when he lightly nibbled her earlobe. Rey pulled his mouth back to hers and held him there with all the force her much smaller stature could muster, gripping him close.

As their breathing grew erratic, Ben grew impatient. Rey drew his upper lip into her mouth and teasing grazed it with her teeth, eliciting another strangled moan from him. Rey couldn't withhold a squeak as he hauled her up off her feet, and she happily folded her legs around his waist, her head dizzy from his kisses.

Rey hadn't even realised they had been moving till her back hit cold metal, and Ben pressed into her. He angled his head and teased her mouth open, running his tongue over her lips till she obliged. Rey could taste caffa on his tongue, and no doubt he'd be able to taste the juma on hers. What could she say? Space travel warranted a drink or two.

Her heartbeat was loud in her ears, and his hands moving on her body with himself pressed so tightly against her was not helping that fact. Rey gripped him hard and sucked on his tongue, enjoying the moan it caused. She dragged her nails down his neck as she ran her tongue against his, and Ben's hips bucked involuntarily into hers. Rey grinned against his lips and purposefully ground her hips against him, enjoying the guttural groan he didn't even try to muffle.

He moved to kiss her neck open-mouthed, licking, suckling, and nipping to the dip of her throat. Ben was walking them along the wall and down the short corridor to the barracks. How he even knew where to go was of no consequence to Rey in that moment. It wasn't long before she sunk into the mattress of her bunk, pinned with Ben on top of her and still peppering her face and neck with affection. Rey curled her fingers around the open ends of his jacket and hurriedly pushed it off him with his aid, but when she reached for the white undershirt Ben caught her wrists in his hands and lifted his head, breathing laboured.

For a moment, Rey was petrified he was going to stop what they were doing, and make good on having to leave. Ben met her eyes with his, and there was only tenderness in his gaze, outside of the scorching want.

"Slowly this time, Rey," he whispered, making her body burn. Certainly, the last time they had been together had been desperate and goaled only towards closeness and release. This time, this time was already filled with something different that Rey would rather not face for now.

Ben then removed his shirt himself, and kicked his boots off before ever so gently shedding Rey of her tunic and undershirt, leaving her in only her bindings and leggings. Her legs were still snugly tucked around his hips.

He pressed a lingering kiss to her lips before nuzzling his way down her neck and to her chest, hands delicately untying her bindings. Rey had one hand buried in his hair, and the other was gripping his shoulder. He freed her with ease, tossing the length of cloth to the side before cupping her left breast with that hand, and ghosting his lips over her right nipple. Rey sucked in a sharp breath when Ben took that nipple into his mouth and swirled his tongue around it, rubbing his thumb over her other one. It was Rey's turn to wantonly thrust her hips into his, and she hoped that it caused him just as much painful pleasure as he was causing her.

Rey was panting when Ben eventually ceased attentions on her breasts and kissed his way down her stomach, shifting further down the bunk. He nipped and pecked along the waistband of her leggings, and it was only when her grip in his hair probably became painful that he dipped his fingers under them and slowly peeled them off, along with her final undergarment. Rey felt his breath against herself, but the touch she was aching for didn't come. Instead, he kissed the inside of her thigh, gripping her hips in the iron-like vice of his hands. She tried to move her legs to push him where she wanted- needed- him, but he had her pinned and continued to languidly lick and place butterfly kisses on every piece of skin except where she ached.

He wasn't aiming for slow. Oh no, Rey thought, no he was aiming to tease. This was just downright torturous.

Ben laughed against her inner thigh right where it joined her groin, no doubt acutely aware of her emotions and intentions now that they were this close. The sensation caused her to squirm.

She didn't even bother with the Force bond, unsure if Ben still had his blocking wall up-

 _No._ His thoughts surged from that well in her mind, making her shiver. _Not since I got on this ship._

Still, Rey didn't bother.

" _Please, Ben!"_ She choked, pressing her head back into the pillow and fisting the blanket with the hand that couldn't reach his shoulder anymore.

Ben shifted in between her legs, and Rey rather suddenly saw stars as he dragged his tongue over her soaked centre. Again, he licked her hard and Rey was left with her mouth agape in a silent scream. A broken moan finally made its way past her constricted throat when Ben gently sucked on the bundle of nerves that were begging for attention. Slowly, _Force_ , so slowly he moved one hand to join his tongue, and Rey gave a cry when Ben eased a finger into her, then slowly moved it back and forth.

She was coming undone, and now it was happening fast. His name fell from her lips in gasps and cries until that most exquisite of pains broke, and she found herself unable to think or utter a thing at all. Rey shuddered violently as her completion took her, but Ben carried on licking her until she fell still, a sheen of sweat over her body, and her chest rapidly rising and falling as she audibly gasped for air.

Rey felt the bed rustle as Ben undoubtedly finished undressing. Then there was a weight on her abdomen and Rey looked down to see Ben resting his chin just below her navel, smiling at her with slightly swollen and glistening lips. His hands crept up from their places at her hips, one intertwining with her hand that clenched the blankets, and the other first tracing her side and breast before being used to wrap her legs around his waist once more. Rey felt him against her still aching core, hard and warm.

Ben stretched his body flush against hers again, moving their clenched hands above her head for balance, and kept his other hand supporting her waist, his legs in a kneeling fold under her hips.

He did not break eye contact, with that overwhelmingly gentle stare, until he leaned down and caressed her lips with his. Rey could still taste the caffa, but now she could taste herself as well. Ben moaned softly into her mouth as she gently scratched the back of his head, squeezing the hand she held.

 _Rey?_ His tone in her mind was questioning.

Rey was struck to realise he was asking if it was alright. If _she_ was alright. It took her a moment to recover from the unfamiliar gesture. People actually caring for her was still something she had to get used to, Rey supposed.

She could only nod and pull him closer.

Ben moaned loudly when he rocked his hips against hers, shallowly thrusting against her till he found the angle he needed. Rey couldn't believe it, but she was right back to being tightly wound once more. Another slow thrust and he partially entered her, gasping against her lips. Again and again he only made for gentle pushes until he was completely buried inside her, lips now at the join of her shoulder and neck, small moans muffled against her skin with every breath he took. Ben was clutching her to him like she was his only lifeline.

As Rey panted for air, tightening her legs around him, she came to realise that, truly, this time was not like the last. There was a promise in this. Of what, she didn't think she wanted to know just yet.

Rey trailed her hand from Ben's head, down his neck and across his shoulders, gripping him there as he started moving again, and she met his pace, grinding against him. His body was naked flame against her skin, and Rey was sure his touch would leave marks. Every thrust of his hips sent her into bliss, and made her gasp and moan. His chest was pressed against hers, and she could feel every line of his body as it made contact with her own form. Ben was kissing every piece of her he could reach, her name falling from his lips like a prayer, and her hand still clenched tightly in his.

The slow pace he had set out was not to last. She could feel herself reaching the precipice yet again, and so could Ben over their bond. He was not far off either, and his deep thrusts grew more erratic, but her own hips still met his at every beat. Ben caught her lips in his again, and one last shift of his hips sent her reeling of the edge, and Rey was powerless to prevent herself from screaming his name against his lips. Through her dizzying ecstasy, she heard Ben cry out, and felt him spill himself inside of her, disjointedly moving until both of them were thoroughly spent.

Ben moved to prevent his weight from falling on her, but Rey pulled him down off-balance before he could, holding him close, face pressed against his neck. Ben wrapped his free arm around her waist and shifted them into a more comfortable position on their sides, tucking her close. He still had his fingers intertwined with hers, and where her head was now, she could hear his heart race.

When both had gotten their breath back, Rey was cautiously optimistic to see Ben made no move to leave.

His arm tightened around her. _I'm not going anywhere just yet._

It made her traitorous heart sing.

 _Sleep,_ he nuzzled her cheek, _I'll be here in the morning, I promise._

Sudden guilt clouded her mind at the memory of how she had left him those few months ago.

 _Don't._ He said gently. _It was necessary._

 _I'm so sorry._ Rey moved her head to look at him. Still, there was only tenderness in his eyes.

He kissed her forehead, then tucked her head into the crook of his neck. _Don't worry about it, Rey. You're here now._ His tone turned teasing, _And it's not like you can disappear. This is, after all, your ship._

Rey couldn't help but smile into his skin, drifting to sleep in Ben's arms.


End file.
